The protesters on fast. (Pema Leyda Shangderpa)

Gangtok, March 10: Another round of indefinite fast against mega hydel power projects in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu started today at B.L. House here.

Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), which is spearheading the protest, took out a procession in town before three of its members started the fast from 3pm. Among those on fast are Dawa Lepcha, the general secretary of ACT, who along with Tenzing Gyatso Lepcha, had been on a 63-day indefinite hunger strike the last time the organisation had protested against the projects. Both of them had to be hospitalised and kept on drip.

Dzongu is a Lepcha reserve nestled in the foothills of Mt Kanchenjunga. For the community, the reserve is a holy place since it is believed that the first Lepcha couple were born there.

NHPC will submit its detailed project report this month for the 495mw Teesta Stage IV project whose major components lie in Dzongu.

Around 300 Lepchas participated in the procession, which started from B.L. House and made its way to New Market, Deorali, and back to the starting point.

“We have started the indefinite fast again to remind (the government) that the protest is still on,” said Dawa.

The earlier protest of ACT was withdrawn after a public appeal from chief minister Pawan Chamling. Recently, however, during the budget session, Chamling had said the hydel power projects would not be stopped as they were for the benefit of the Sikkimese people.

“We had withdrawn the strike thinking that a reasonable solution will be reached,” said Dawa Lepcha. “But this time it will be do or die.”